Researchers from a consortium of universities are developing a low-cost, ultra sensitive biosensor.

UK-based Cambridge, Manchester and Bolton universities will join forces with China’s Zhejiang University in the three-year EPSRC-sponsored project to develop a microdevice  able to measure everything from home diagnosis of disease to chemical plant monitoring and anti-bioterrorism and pandemic detection.

A biosensors is a type of microdevice able to measure very small concentrations of biological molecules or chemical substances through specific bio-binding or chemical absorption. They work by recording reactions between chemicals or agents on their surface and others to which they are exposed.

Professor Jack Luo of Bolton’s Centre for Materials Research and Innovation, and leader of the project, explained: “Our aim is to develop a universal detection system that can have various surface properties depending on what the sensor is to be used for.”

A nanotechnology-based biosensor that can be used to detect trace amounts of specific bacteria, viruses and parasites has been developed by NASA’s Ames Research Center.

Commenting on the new development, Meyya Meyyappan, chief scientist for exploration technology and former director of the center for Nanotechnology at Ames, explained: “The biosensor makes use of ultra-sensitive carbon nanotubes which can detect biohazards at very low levels.

“When biohazards are present, the biosensor generates an electrical signal, which is used to determine the presence and concentration levels of specific micro-organisms in the sample. Because of their tiny size, millions of nanotubes can fit on a single biosensor chip.”

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